Dump rake



July 10, 1945.

E, RUTTER DUMP RAKE Filed May 2, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY July 10, 1945., 7%. E. RUTTER 2,380,19Q

Y DUMP'RAKE Filed May 2, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AT TORNEY A. E. RUTTER July 1.0, 1945..

DUMP RAKE Filed May 2, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 WZMW ATTORNEY Patented July 10, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUMP RAKE Alvah E. Rutter, Rockford, 111., assignorto J. I. Case Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation Application May 2, 1942, Serial No. 441,439

Claims. (01. 5627.)

The present invention relates to dump rakes or self dumping hay rakes and an object of the invention is to generally improve the construction and operation of devices of this class.

Rakes of this general nature have been used in the past and drawn by horses and comprise a two-wheeled trailer vehicle, the major portion of which consists of a rake head carryinga num-' ber of curved teeth. These gather material as the vehicle is drawn over the field and at predetermined times an operator seated onthe vehicle trips suitable mechanism which engages the rake head with the carrying wheels to rotate therewith. Such rotation raises the rake teeth'and releases the load of material accumulated therein. At a certain point in such rotation, namely when the teeth have been raised sufiiciently to release the load, the head is automatically released from the wheels and allowed to return to'operating position. Normally, a manually operable member, such as a pedal, is provided sothat the operator may hold the rake teeth in working position against the pressure of the load under conditions where this is necessary, and means is provided for looking or hooking the rake head andteeth in raised position for transportation of the machine. p

It is desirable that such a rake be adapted to use behind a tractor and the principal object of the present invention is to provide suitable mechanism on the rake controllable from the tractor and which will perform the several functions formerly served by the operator on the rake, but under control of the operator on the tractor, whereby the necessity for an operator on the rake will be eliminated.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent 'from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the aocompanying'drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rake embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a wheel hub and associated structure.

Fig. 3 is a plan view with parts removed and others broken away, of certain mechanism indicated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 44 of Fig. 3 with parts removed and others broken away.

Fig. 5 is a detail of certain mechanism indicated in Figsl and 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of certain mechanism indicated in Fig.1. v

As seen in Fig. 1 the machine comprises a main or stationary frame generally designated as It) to which is attached a draw bar generally designated as H, frame I0 comprising a rear rail or the like I2 and a bow-like forward rail or memher [3 fixed therewith in any suitable manner as by fittings I4 and I5. Draw bar I I comprises elements I6 and I1 engaged with both rear member l2 and forward member [3 by suitable means such as bolts I 8l8 and |9l9 and they are united at their forward ends by a bar or member extendi g transversely and providing a series of holes 2|-2l for reception of a clevis 22 of well-' known form for attachment of a tractor, not shown. Bar 20 is braced by a member 23 extending backwardly and fixed in any suitable manner with members l6 and I1. Braces 24 and 25 extend from member I3 to member l2 and other braces 26 and 21 extend from draw bar II to member [3, the whole constituting a substantially rigid frame-work for the rake.

Member ID is supported partly from draw bar I I and. partly from a rake head generally designated as 28 and comprising a beam or member 29 extending in the direction of rear member l2. Beam 29 serves the purposes of a rake head and an axle for the machine, fittings 30 and 3| carried by member 29, and pivot bolts 32 and 33 engaging ears 34 and 35 respectively on fittings l4 and I5, so that member l2 and accordingly the main frame of the rake is supported from head member or axle 29, but axle 29 is free for limited pivotal movement relatively to member l2.

Member 29 has fittings 36 and 31 in which are engaged stub axles 38 and 39 on which are journaled wheels 40, and 4|. As. will be apparent wheels 40 and 4| carry the machine through stub axles 3B and 39'and member 29.

Member 29 carries a plurality of rake teet 4242 of suitable or well-known form so shaped as to gather material as the rake moves over the field, and mechanism is provided for preventing rotation of member29 with teeth 42 in a downward position. Mechanism is also provided for rotating member 29 to a limited extent to raise teeth 42 above material which has been accumulated by the teeth.

In general, this is accomplished by connecting member 29 temporarily to wheels 40 and 4l, substantially identical mechanism being used at either end of member 29, only one description should be necessary. Wheel 40 has a hub portion 43 and wheel M has a hub portion 44 within which are provided a plurality of teeth 45-45. A dump shaft 46 is rockably supported in fitting 31 and a bearing 41 on member 29 and, as more particularly shown in Fig. 2, has an offset or dog portion 48 within hub 44 and normally positioned to clear teeth 45p As will be apparent, clockwise rotation of shaft 46 will move dog portion is so chosen that there will be a tendency for the force of teeth 45 to disengage dog 48. In operation, the dog is yieldingly engaged with teeth 45 as will appear so that rotation of member 29 is normally positive, but in the event of blocking of member 29, Or any excessive resistance to rotation, dog 48 may be forced out of engagement with teeth 45 before the stresses become great enough to destroy or damage any part of the machine.

A dump shaft 58 of similar construction extends to hub 43, the mechanism therein being substantially identical with that of hub 44..

Dump shafts 46 and 58: are united by a fitting ortrip and accordingly connections for rock ing member 5| will rotate shafts 4.6: and 58 and enge head 28 with wheels 48 and 4| as above outlined. Fitting 5| has a tongue 52 projecting forwardly therefrom in a. position such that upon rotation. of head 28, about pivot 32 and 33, tongue 52' will encounter a trip plate or abutment 58 adjustably clamped. on. member |2 by bolts or the like 54. It will now be. apparent that rotation of fitting 5| so as to produce downward movement. of tongue 52. will engage head. 28 for dumping movement. Such. movement will continue until tongue 52 encounters plate 53. when. fitting, 5| will, be caused to rotate in a reverse direction relatively to head 28 thereby disengaging dog 48 and its companion dog in hub 43 and. allowing head 28 to return to raking position. Shifting of plate or abutment 53 will provide, for changing the position of. head 28 at which this action takes place.

Asseen in. Figs. 3 and 4, rake head 28 is held in raking position by means. of a toggle generally designated as 55 comprising in the present instance. a member 56 preferably bifurcated and pivoted. at 51 to a fitting 58 fixed with rail or member 29.. Member 56 is pivoted at 59 in the present instance to a pair of links 68 and 6|, pivoted in turn. by pins 62 and 63. carried in. frame members 64. and 65 extended. between members |2 and I3. In the present instance, frame members 64 and. 65 consist of, angle irons having upright flanges 5'8 and 61 withinwhich are engaged above mentioned pins 62 and 63, and said pins are further. braced by means of brackets 68 and 69 spaced from flanges 66 and 61 and welded or otherwise suitably fastened to angle irons 64 and 65. "Member 56- has a stop pad 18 engageable with the undersicles of members 68 and 6| to limit the upward travel of pivot 59'. Pivot 59 also has extending therefrom links H and 12 for controlling the positionof pivot 59. Links H and T2 are pivoted at 1-3 'to a lever arm 14 of a pedal member generally designated as 15. Pedal T5 is 'ful'crumed on a pin 1-6 also engaged in flanges 66 and 61, and braces TI and 18 extend from a pedal arm- 190i pedal outwardly to approximately the point of'junct'ure of pin 16 and flanges 66 and 61-. In this way, a relatively rigid arrangement is provided and the toggle 55 may be placed on approximately dead center without likelihood of buckling transversely of its-normal plane of movement. Stop pad 18 on member 56 may be so placed as to limit upward motion of toggle 55 as desired, in the pr s n i s m itting toggle 55 to take an upward position so that ph ot 59 li'es slightly above the pl'ane of pivots 51 and 62-63. Thus any force developing a tendency toward clockwise rotation about pivot 33 will be resisted by the full strength of toggle 55.

The dimensions of the parts are so chosen that the weight of toggle 55 and links H and 12 under normal conditions will cause toggle 55 to descend if an operators foot is removed from pedal 15. Toggle 55 therefore would descend under these conditions toward the dotted position indicated so as to permit forward or clockwise rotation of rake head 28. Under these conditions, rake head 28 may be rotated by engagement of wheels 48 I and 4| as above outlined.

In order to make the rake operative, without an operator on seat 1911, a tongue 88 is provided fixed with a shaft 8| journaled in brackets 82 and 88 carried respectively on above mentioned frame member 65 and a spring member 84 of above m ntioned seat 19a. Shaft 8| has an. upwardly extending arm 85 to. which is attached a rope 86 or the like extending to a convenient point on the tractor, not shown. A pull. on rope. 86' will accordingly rock shaft 8| in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 4. To return shaft 8| to the position shown, a spring 81 is extended between an eye 88 and an anchorage 89 onany convenient part of the machine, as for example draw bar portion l6.

As clearly apparent in Fig. 4', tongue 88 in the position shown, contacts pedal 15 forwardly of fulcrum 16 or may do so if pedal 15 tends to rise. Such movement of the pedal is accordingly prevented.v On the other hand, upon rotation of shaft 8|, caused by a. pull on rope 86, tongue 88 travels in the path. indicated in dotted lines and contacts the upwardly extending rear portion or arm 14, first, passing to a position rearwardly of fulcrum T6. Pedal 15 is therefore free to. rise and contact of tongue 88' and lever arm 14 forces the latter backwardly thereby causing downward movement of pivot 59. Toggle 55 is accordingly unlocked or started toward the dotted position indicated. whereby rake head 28 is free to move in a clockwise direction around pivot 33.

Shaft 8-| also has. an arm 98 thereon engaged by means of a pin 91 extended into a slot 92 in arod 83- which. extends rearwardly' and then upwardly to a pivot 94 on above mentioned tongue 52. Pivot 94 is so located that backward motion of rodv 93 will cause. clockwise rotation of tongue 52 and accordingly of shafts 46 and 58 and the length: of slot. 92 is so chosen that pi-n 9| will cause rearward movement of rod 93 after tongue 88' unlocked toggle 55 as above described. Thiswill engage dog portion 48 and its companion portion in hub 43 and cause rake head- 28 to commence its rotary or dumping movement. The movement continues until tongue 52 encounters stop'plate 53, as above described, when tongue 52 is given counterclockwise movement disengaging the above mentioned dogs and allowing rake head 28 to return to operative position.

Fitting 58 has a hand lever 95 fixed therewith and which moves with rake head 28. When it is desired that rake head 28 remain in inoperative position, as for example, when. transporting the rake, lever 95 may be engaged by a hook 96, Fig. 1, which prevents return movement of rake head 28- in well-known manner.

Suitable mechanism is utilized to maintain shafts 46 and 58 in shifted positions during the different phasesv of the cycle of operation.

As seen in Fig. 5, a fitting generally designated as. 91 is fixedwith rail member 29 and has abearing portion 98 for carrying above mentioned shaft 50. Fitting 91 also'has an upstanding ear 99 apertured for passage of a rod lllil, extending in the present instance above shaft 50 and bending downwardly to a pivot Iill in above mentioned fitting 5|. Rod IE is urged rearwardly by a spring I02 in the present instance compressed between ear 99 and a nut I 03, a washer I M being interposed if desired. The backward pull in rod I00 being inthe position shown above the center of shaft tends to maintain tongue 52 in upper position. However, if tongue 52 is depressed to the dotted position, it will be noted that the lineof pull passes below the center of shaft 50 so as to tend to hold tongue 52 in the depressed position. This corresponds to the engaged position of dog 48 and its companion in hub 43. The above mentioned dogs accordingly stay in engaged position once ton ue 52 is depressed, and also in disengaged position when tongue 52 is raised. Rake head 23 and its attached teeth 42 constitutes a substantial weight and for this reason an assisting spring Hi5 is extended between member l3 and a suitable point on rake head 28. Referring more particularly to Fig. 6, spring W5 is tensioned between an eyebolt Hi6 engaged in a bracket Ill! fixed as by a bolt 108 with member l3 and a C shaped member I09. Bolt I06 has a nut III] for transmitting the pull of spring Ill-5 to bracket fill, a. washer Ill being. interposed if desired. C shaped member I09 is pivotally connected by a bolt or the like HZ with a quadrant H3 having a plurality of holes H4| I4 for reception of bolt H2, as will be apparent from Fig. 6. The line of pull of spring I05 isabove pivot 33 so that the resulting couple tends to lift teeth 42 by causing clockwise rotation of rake head 28. to rail member 29 as for example by bolts H5 and H6. For different operating conditions, bolt H2 may be inserted in other holes H4 to give a greater or lesser degree of assistance to the lifting of rake head 28. One or more holes H1 ,are preferably provided below the level of pivot 33. If bolt I I2 is engaged in hole ill, the line of pull is such that rake head 28 tends to rotate in a counterclockwise direction so as to tend to force teeth 42 down into the material. being raked. This condition exists only until the rake is lifted a short distance, after which bolt H2 is raised above pivot 33 and the direction of force on the rake is reversed. The effect of spring I05 is then again to assist in the lifting of the rake as is continually the case where bolt I I2 is engaged in one of holes H4.

The above being a complete description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a tractor drawn dump rake having a head, rake teeth and carrying wheels, means engaging the wheels for rotating the head for dumping the rake, a toggle for holding the teeth in ground engaging position, said toggle being proportioned to go over-center when in holding position, a curved member connected for controlling said toggle, a rock shaft controlled from a position on the tractor, a tongue on said rock shaft positioned to swing within the curve of said Quadrant H3 is fixed curved member and adapted in one position to maintain said curved member in a position to maintain said toggle in said over-center position, and said tongue when swinging in said curved portion passing from said position in a path to contact said curved portion after leaving said position and to move it in a manner to shift said toggle out of said over-center position, and means connected with said rock shaft for actuating said Wheel engaging means after said toggle has been moved out of said over-center position.

2'. For use with a tractor drawn dump rake, comprising a rake head, provided with rake teeth, a frame and carrying wheels, mechanism for dumping the rake, actuating means for the mechanism, toggle means extending between the rake head and frame and having a position for holding the teeth in ground engaging position, and dumping control means comprising an operating member supported on the frame and controlled from a position on the tractor, said member having a portion connected to said toggle means for maintaining the latter in holding position said portion being movable for releasing and moving said toggle means out of holding position, and said operating member having means for engaging said dumping mechanism actuating means after the holding means has been released.

3. In a tractor drawn dump rake, having a head, rake teeth and carrying wheels, a manually operable member having a position for holding said head in position for raking, and a second manually operable member adapted to connect said rake head to said carrying wheels for dumping said rake, a rock shaft controlled from a position on the tractor, a connection from said rook and'releasing and moving said first mentioned manually operable member out of holding position, and a connection from said rock shaft adapted to actuate said second manually operable member when said first mentioned manually operable member is released.

4. In a dump rake having a frame and a head rotatable relatively to the frame about a predetermined center line, carrying wheels, and said head being engageable with the wheels for raising movement for dumping, an assisting spring tensioned between said frame and said head, and a connection from said spring to said head on a line so related to said center line as to tend to raise saidhead, said connection having a plurality of positions of engagement with said head at least one of said positions defining a line so related to said center line that the pull of said spring tends to urge said head downwardly to maintain it in contact with the material being raked.

5. In a tractor drawn dump rake having a head, rake teeth and carrying wheels, means engaging the wheels for rotating the head for dumping the rake, a toggle for holding the teeth in ground engaging position, a curved member connected for controlling said toggle, a rock shaft controlled from a position on the tractor, a tongue on said rock shaft positioned to swing within the curve of said curved member and adapted in one position to maintain said curved member in a position to maintain, through said toggle, said rake teeth in ground engaging position; and said tongue when swinging in said curved portion passing from said position in a path to contact said curved portion after leaving said position, and to move it in a manner to cause said toggleto shift said rake teeth out of ground engaging position, and means connected with said rock shaft for actuating said wheel engaging means after said tongue has been moved out of the first mentioned position.

ALVAI-I E. BUTTER. 

